A TEXT messaging company started in a back bedroom in Malvern only a year ago is now sending out more than one million texts a month.

The venture is the brainchild of Alastair Shortland, who lives in Great Malvern with his wife Susan.

"It's just crazy here at the moment," said Alastair.

"We are getting nearly 100 new customers a day and there's only two of us here.

"Something huge is happening and very soon we anticipate 1,000 per day worldwide. This would bring in a turnover approaching £50 million a year and growing. I think it's time we started recruiting."

He set up Txtlocal as a small, bedroom start-up company at the beginning of 2007.

"My goal was to introduce text message marketing and new marketing to existing customers to the small and medium sized business community, local community groups and sports clubs," Alastair said.

"Anyone who wants to deliver news, promotions, appointment reminders, stock level warnings, football match cancellations. Any message to anyone for just a few pence. We are behind many of the short messaging text numbers you see on television adverts today. Things are certainly going very well and at present we are sending more than one million texts per month.

"I have a little technical background, and have learned much of what I needed with the help of the online communities and articles in website magazine.

"Short messaging communication is an ideal tool for the smaller business and we've worked hard to make sure they can make use of it.

"Small and medium sized businesses have grabbed the opportunity.

"Owners of businesses such as nightclubs, take-away restaurants and hair salons are telling us of superb results they've had from promotions and alerts sent by text.

"Another area showing significant success is the use of text reminders for appointments at doctors, dentists, garages and the like.

"Txtlocal is proof that with enough passion and enthusiasm, anyone can set up a very successful business online."

You can find Txtlocal at http://www.txtlocal.co.uk